Holiday gift hunting is hard when you want something that is not just another thing. Coins and banknotes solve that problem beautifully: every piece carries real history, every piece is one of a kind, and there is a perfect option for every budget. We put together our Gift Picks collection — 25 coins and banknotes from $15 to $55, each a single piece. When it is gone, it is gone.

Here is the full guide, organized by budget — and by the person you are buying for.

Under $20 — small gifts with a big story

Proof that a memorable gift does not need a big price tag.

• Vatican 2011 coin card with stamp — $15. A gift for a believer: a Vatican coin in a gift card with a postage stamp.
• Germany 1910 1,000 Mark banknote — $15. Over 110 years old — "money that no longer exists." Perfect for a history lover.
• Andorra 2014 coincard — $15. From the rarest eurozone country — a coin almost nobody has.

$20–$25 — great first gifts

The sweet spot for a first collection, a stocking stuffer, or a gift for a friend who is curious about coins.

• South Africa 2010 FIFA World Cup Coincard — $20. Sealed World Cup card, limited to 50,000 — a gift for a football fan.
• Austria 1978 coin cover — $20. Franklin Mint "Coins of All Nations" envelope with the original 1978 Vienna postmark.
• Czechoslovakia 1974 coin cover — $20. Same series, with the Prague postmark.
• Hungary 1978 coin cover — $20. Same series, with the Budapest postmark.
• Montserrat 2007 Euro pattern set — $25. Private trial "essai" strikes of euro coins that never circulated, sealed in a presentation card with certificate.
• Switzerland 2003 Euro pattern set — $25. Same idea, Swiss trial strikes with certificate.
• Heligoland 2005 Euro pattern set — $25. Fantasy-issue probe coins in a sealed strip.
• Cuba 1 Peso 1986 "Granma" coin cover — $25. Numbered (No. 0280 of 2,000) envelope for the 30th anniversary of the Granma landing, with a first-day Havana postmark.
• Slovakia Euro Coin Set 2009 — $25. Slovakia's first-year euro coins, all dated 2009, on a sealed collector card.
• Greece 2 Euro 2016 "Arkadi" numis cover No. 0668 — $25. The Arkadi monastery commemorative coin with a Greek stamp and Athens postmark.
• San Marino official euro set — $25. A whole country in one set — a great first collection for a child.
• 1981-S U.S. Mint Proof Set — $25. Mirror-finish proof coins in original U.S. Mint packaging.

$27–$35 — for the collector who has everything

A step up: official mint sets and limited editions with real presence under the tree.

• Eastern Caribbean States 1986, 6-coin BU set — $27. Exotic Caribbean coins with Queen Elizabeth II.
• Austria 2004 Euro Coin Set, Kleinmünzensatz — $27. All 8 BU coins from the Austrian Mint in the official folder — Bertha von Suttner on the €2.
• 1976 U.S. Bicentennial colorized collection — $30. 200 years of the USA in color — a gift with American history.
• Slovenia Euro Premium Set 2007 — $35. Slovenia's very first euro coins (all 8) in an acrylic case, limited edition of 39,900.
• Slovenia 2004 Euro probe set, 9 coins — $35. Trial strikes, limited edition of 27,500.
• Cyprus 2008 euro set, first issue — $35. The "birthday" of the euro on Cyprus.
• 1987 Australia Mint Set — $35. Kangaroo and platypus in pristine condition.

$40–$55 — the impressive gift

When you want the gift to be the moment itself.

• 1993 UK Royal Mint Set — $40. Official Royal Mint set — a prestigious gift.
• France Euro Prestige Coinset, 24k gold-plated — $45. All 8 French euro coins gold-plated, plus an Eiffel Tower medal — limited to 9,999 sets. Our newest arrival.
• Germany 2 Euro 2009 SPECIMEN set — $45. Trial strikes for the 10th anniversary of the EMU, all 5 mints (A D F G J) in a presentation folder.

A few things to know before you order

• Every item is a single piece. If the one you want sells, it is gone — so do not wait too long.
• Free tracked shipping on orders over $300 CAD.
• 14-day returns on every order.
• Not sure which one to pick? Start with the recipient: a football fan gets South Africa 2010, a history lover gets the 1910 banknote, a new collector gets San Marino — and you cannot go wrong with any of the official mint sets.

See all 25 with photos in our Gift Picks collection. Happy gift hunting!
— AntiquaMoneta